The Europeanisation of Social Protection

Paper $42.95ISBN: 9781847420190
Published
September 2007
For sale in North and South America only

Cloth $100.00ISBN: 9781847420206
Published
September 2007
For sale in North and South America only

This book challenges the common view that social protection is exclusively a national concern with EU social policy fragmented and merely symbolic. Through eleven country studies, the book reveals that EU-level developments increasingly interact with social protection in all countries - a remarkable transformation from ten years ago.Using the same thematic framework, the book systematically compares how Europeanisation of social protection differs across countries chosen to reflect increasing EU diversity. For each country, specialists in social protection evaluate the form and extent of Europeanisation, comparing national strategies with the European social model. They examine recent reforms and responses to EU initiatives, including the Lisbon strategy and the open method of coordination, the extension of the internal market to services, the Economic and Monetary Union and EU enlargement.Differences in Europeanisation reflect not only different political legacies but also different adjustment pressures in terms of national welfare regime and degree of competitiveness. "Europeanisation of social protection" brings together both new evidence and new perspectives, making it essential reading for everyone interested in the changing patterns of social policy in Europe.

List of tables and figuresForeword: The European Union’s evolving social policy and national models—seeking a new balance Nikolaus G. van der Pas and Kari VälimäkiAcknowledgementsList of abbreviationsList of contributors

1. European Union developments and national social protection Juho Saari and Jon Kvist2. Germany: moving towards Europe but putting national autonomy first Milena Büchs and Karl Hinrichs3. The United Kingdom: more an economic than a social Europe Julian Le Grand, Elias Mossialos and Morgan Long4. France: defending our model Bruno Palier and Luana Petrescu5. Italy: between indifference, exploitation and the construction of national interest Stefano Sacchi6. Poland: redefining social policies Irena Wóycicka and Maciej Grabowski7. Spain: starting from periphery, becoming centre Ana Guillén8. The Czech Republic: tradition compatible with modernisation? Martin Potucek9. Finland: towards more proactive policies Juho Saari and Olli Kangas10. The Netherlands: social and economic normalisation in an era of European Union controversy Anton Hemerjick and Peter Sleegers11. Denmark: from foot dragging to pace setting in European Union social policy Jon Kvist12. Greece: the quest for national welfare expansion through more social Europe Theodoros Sakellaropoulos13. The Europeanisation of social protection: domestic impacts and national responses Jon Kvist and Juho Saari14. Seeking a new balance Juho Saari and Kari Välimäki

ReferencesIndex

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